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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Book Review: Fabric Die Cutting Tips by Ebony Love

UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF POST 

Ebony Love, Love Bug Studios,  is a new author and she is glowing here at Quilt Market in Houston.  She seems to have endless energy and enthusiasm.

"Fabric Die Cutting Tips" contains many tips and some great information for those folks who either are going to purchase a Die Cutting Machine or already own one.

I have purchased and owned  the Big Shot, Big Shot Pro, Vagabond*, AccuQuilt GO and the GO Baby I have first hand knowledge about all of these machines and I've reviewed them on this very blog.  While reading through "Fabric Die Cutting Tips" I found some excellent tips that I think many people will appreciate.

  • Have you wanted to cut continuous borders using a fabric cutting die? 
  • Every wonder why your was gathering or bunching on top of your die while you were putting it through your machine?
  • Wanted to fussy cut an applique die and wasn't sure the best way to do that?
  • Wanted to learn how to make a quick reference for yourself when using your dies?  Which die works best for which block, measurements, angles of laying your fabric etc?

Ebony has provided answers to all of those questions and more in her new book, "Fabric Die Cutting Tips".


If you would like to win an autographed copy of " "Fabric Die Cutting Tips" please leave a comment on this post and share with all of us why you think this book would be helpful to you.  I will use the random number generator to choose the winner on November 31st.

More from Houston soon :)

Smiles,
Kelly

*My Vagabond is the only machine that I accepted as a gift from Sizzix.  I was so excited about its release I could not wait for them to be in stock at the distributors to order one.  That is the truth and quite happily my excuse too....because I'd gladly pay for it 10 times over and I'm not about to part with mine, that's how much I love it.


For all of you in the path of that storm....all I can say is I'll be thinking about you and I sure hope you all have a Beam N Read Hands Free Light and one for each member of your family!   I have mine here with me, I'm not taking any chances!

50 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review, Kelly. I've been considering purchasing a die-cutter, but have been a bit intimidated with what is out there and the related costs; I need to do more research to decide what is best for my needs and it sounds like this book of Ebony's would be a great starting point. Thanks for the opportunity on the draw

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  3. Love your review Kelly. Tuesday the 30th is my day on the tour!

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  4. Die cutters confuse this blond! LOL

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  5. Ebony has the warmest smile!I hope this book is a success for her. Safe travels.

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  6. Thanks for the review! Sounds like this book needs to be in my library and here's to crossing my fingers that I'm the lucky winner!!

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  7. I can't wait to pick up a copy and maybe if Ebony is at CHA I can have her sign it...I am the most un-lucky person on Earth:-D

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  8. Great review--I'll be looking for the book!

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  9. Sounds like a book I need to have. I can use all the help I can get!

    Rosemary
    cntryways@att.net

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  10. I could use all the help there is; I have the GO, for over a year, and never used it!

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  11. Thanks, Kelly.....and the picture of Ebony looks great. So glad she was able to GO!

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  12. I need all the help I can get! LOL!

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  13. Great review Kelly.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  14. The Vagabond is still on my wish list and this book would be the perfect companion

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  15. I have a GO! and would love to be able to maximize my usage of it -

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  16. Thanks for the review. I have an Accuquilt Go! And I have experienced some of the issues you mentioned. I think this book would be just the help I need to have more accurate cuts. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Ebony's book.

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  17. I have the die cutting equipment, now I need to learn how to use it!! This book would be a great help! Thanks..

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  18. Thanks for the great review Kelly. I know this is a great book and is definitely one I must own.

    I have the Accuquilt GO because my husband was such a sweetie and ordered it without asking and one day it arrived on our doorstep as a surprise. Other than playing around with it myself, I really don't have a lot of the knowledge I probably should have as far as how to utilize it to save fabric when cutting and other things like that. I have a lot of patterns using the different dies or tutorials to make quilts or other things using them, but really none of those go further to add those tips that could help not having a strip of fabric come out with a pucker that made it cut wrong and wasting that piece of fabric or things similar to that. That is really why I know Ebony's book has got to be great. She's gone further than what one gets in a pattern/tutorial and given those things that will help us use our machines more to our advantage. I love that she's taken the time to do that for us.

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  19. I'm afraid I may have wasted my $$$ on the product I bought. Probably should have waited for the book.

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  20. mmmm first. hope the storm stays clear of you ....and second..I have no idea how to use my die cutters to their optimal benefit....mine are getting a bit neglected... sew yes any help would certainly be of benefit..

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  21. My hubby surprised me with the Go! cutter for Christmas 2 years ago. I have been asked to do a demo with hints and tips on how to use the cutter by a local quilt shop. I would love to win the book. It would help me prepare my demo!

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  22. I would love to have a fabric cutter because I want to make a double wedding ring quilt and the thought of cutting all those little pieces boggles my mind.
    paweis at yahoo dot com

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  23. This looks a great book!
    I have a Baby Go! but I feel I don't use it enough!

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  24. I'd love to have a copy of Ebony's book! I've followed her blog and facebook, she's an awesome artist!

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  25. Have a wonderful time in Houston and before you realize it, you will be back home with your IHAN "workforce". Thanks for the review of Ebony's book.

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  26. I have so many questions about die cutters and the new book sounds like the resource we need. Thank you for the giveaway.
    maryellen1304@hotmail.com

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  27. I'd love to learn to use my Go more efficiently!

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  28. I love my Go! and I would love to learn more of the tips & tricks Ebony offers in her book.

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  29. I just purchased a Go and have 3 strip dies on order. After reading your review I will now be purchasing the book. Thanks

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  30. I would love to read it to get a better idea of what can be done with the cutters.

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  31. It would be great to know which die works best for which block and which cutter cuts which shape the best. Thanks!

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  32. I would like to be more thrifty with me fabric, so learning to have less waste would be great!!

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  33. I just bought an Accuquilt GO and would like to know which dies I should purchase first as must-haves! awolk at rogers dot com

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  34. I would love to learn about using a cutting machine as they are so expensive I don't know which one to even get. I love applique work but find myself these days needing a machine to help with the cutting. I recently had cancer and went thru all the chemo and radiation and then broke my right fingers. Now I do have a cuttlebug that has never been used because I don't know whether I can use it on fabric. This book would truly be helpful to me.

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  35. I desperately need this book. I am so intimidated by my Sizzix. I just know I will love the Sizzix if I can get over the intimidation issue.

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  36. I'm looking into getting a die cutting machine, but am overwhelmed by all the choices. This book sounds like it would help me with my choosing. :)

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  37. Need this book! Bought a Go! die for my Studio and now have to buy a new tray and new adapter because it's so long--wish I'd known, and would have if I'd waited for the book!! Want to see if I should get the new tray and adapter or give die away (or buy a Go!) Also want to know whose other dies can be used on Accuquilt!
    Love my Studio and Go! Baby.

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    1. Sally, I think you should go ahead and get the longer tray. You need it for strip dies and some of the other specialty dies. Plus, did you know you can run multiple dies through at once?

      I keep my long die tray loaded with my 2-1/2" strip die, so it is always handy. Of course, if you don't think you'll ever get a longer die, maybe you don't need it, but the tray is MUCH cheaper than buying a GO! :)

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  38. Would love to have this book to be able to use my Big Shot to the fullest advantage. I haven't tried cutting fabric but I'm sure it would be a time saver. I still see all those grandma's hexagons you cut and wish I could start one too. I just don't have the patience to cut everyone of the hexy's so think that would be quite a time saver to have that die. Glad to see all your posts from Texas. At least I can dream that I am there. Have a super time, as I am sure you will. Love ya! Auntie

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  39. I am thinking about either a Sizzix Big Shot or a Vagabond and would like to learn what the differences really are and what would work well for me. Plus, I'm a crazy person who loves to have all the information I can in one place so I don't have to search around.

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    1. Linda, I don't go into much detail with the Vagabond in the book, it only gets a short mention, but basically, the Vagabond plugs in and the Big Shot has a manual crank. You couldn't use the Vagabond in a power outage. :) Other than that, they are pretty much the same machine. Just be careful not to overload it - with a hand-crank you can tell right away that something doesn't fit, but the Vagabond is pretty powerful and you don't get that same feedback.

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  40. I have had the Go! since it came out. It, along with many dies, has been collecting dust in my closet for way too long. It needs to be used and this book might just be the jump start to get me to using it.

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  41. Hi Kelly I have had my Go for over a year and finally did some cutting on it on Sat. I really need this book because I am basically afraid of this machine.lol I have my Beam and light already for any power outage up here in Ontario. It seems our little town is in it's path and we might have high winds and lots of rain.

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  42. Hi Kelly thanks for making this possible. I am trying to buy a Vagabond cutter in Australia; but they can't get the electric right. But when I do, I know this book would be really useful. It sounds fanstastic. Sam

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  43. This book is on my shopping list. Ebony did all the hard work, now I just need to read and learn! Thanks for a chance to win a copy.

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  44. I would love to win a copy of Ebony's book. Watching a couple of her vids on YT is what prompted my recent purchase of a Sizzix machine. I'm at the "now what" stage in die-cutting. lol. All the different dies are confusing and I can't tell which are for fabric and which for scrapbooking/paper cutting. I think the Sizzix is going to be a great help to me with applique, so I'm looking forward to this new quilting adventure. Thank you for the op' to enter your drawing for Ebony's book.

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  45. I would love to win a copy of the book. I want to buy a cutting machine and am trying to figure out which one is right for me. This book would help me tremendously!!! I have no knowledge of the cutting machines yet and any info would be of great help to me. I have been checking out the different machines for about 6 months now and trying to decide which one to ask for for Christmas. Do you have any tips on which one would be a great one to buy? I want one that the dies aren't too awfully expensive and that you can get discounts and packaged deals. I want the best but don't want to break the bank every time I need new dies. Thank you, Jeanne

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    1. Jeanne,

      My recommendation would be to get either the Sizzix Big Shot or Big Shot Pro (depending on your budget.) The Sizzix dies overall are the least expensive, and if you follow their Facebook Page, they post 40% and 50% off coupons nearly every week. With the BS, you can still use 5x10 GO dies, and with the BSP, you can use all GO dies. So, if you see something on the GO side you can still probably use it. The BS retails for $100 so it's easy to get started, and you can search around for deals. The book has comparison charts on features & pricing for each machine.

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  46. I would love to win a copy of the book. I want to buy a cutting machine and am trying to figure out which one is right for me. This book would help me tremendously!!! I have no knowledge of the cutting machines yet and any info would be of great help to me. I have been checking out the different machines for about 6 months now and trying to decide which one to ask for for Christmas. Do you have any tips on which one would be a great one to buy? I want one that the dies aren't too awfully expensive and that you can get discounts and packaged deals. I want the best but don't want to break the bank every time I need new dies. Thank you, Jeanne

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  47. I just found out about Ebony's book and I would so love to win a copy of it. I bought a Go machine over a year ago and I've barely used it, I got the Reg Die and a few applique dies and a 2 1/2" strip die and also the value die that came with the Go. I have cut out a few rag squares and they're in a pile waiting for more to be cut.
    I have th Value Die and tried cutting a bunch of sqs from it and did something wrong cuase most of them ended up being the the wrong size... I really need Ebony's book to learn what I'm doing wrong so that I can use my die system and dies, before they go into hiding because as it stands now I would rather use my rulers for cutting pieces!!

    I also think someone needs to come out with a good book of patterns that can be made using the dies that can be made int larger or smaller quilts.

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Thank you for reading the IHAN Blog. I love getting and reading every comment that is left here; however I may not be able to respond to all comments left during giveaways. There are times when I am juggling many tasks at one time and may not reply to all comments. Please e-mail me at quiltnotions@gmail.com if you need a reply quickly. I thank you for your understanding and-
More Later-Beth